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Read Ebook: The Gibson Upright by Tarkington Booth Wilson Harry Leon
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Ebook has 857 lines and 19842 words, and 18 pages
The
Gibson Upright
BOOTH TARKINGTON
and
HARRY LEON WILSON
THE STAGE PRODUCTION OF THIS PLAY IS BY STUART WALKER
THE GIBSON UPRIGHT
CAST OF CHARACTERS
ANDREW GIBSON, a piano factory owner
NORA GORODNA, a piano tester and socialist labor organizer
MR. MIFFLIN, a socialist journalist
CARTER, an elderly factory worker
FRANKEL, a young Jewish factory worker
SHOMBERG, a factory worker
SIMPSON, an elderly factory worker
SALVATORE, an Italian factory worker
RILEY, a truck driver
ELLA, Mr. Gibson's housemaid
MRS. SIMPSON, wife of Simpson
MRS. COMMISKEY, wife of a worker
POLENSKI, a worker
FIRST WOP and SECOND WOP, workers
ACT I
Against the wall on our right is a roll-top desk, open, very neat, and in the centre of the writing pad a fresh rose stands in a glass of water. Near by is a long, plain table and upon it a very neat arrangement of correspondence and a couple of ledgers.
Against the walls are a dozen plain cane-seated chairs. Near the centre of the room is a sample of the Gibson upright piano in light wood. There is a large safe, showing the word "Gibson," and there are filing cases. In the rear wall there is a door with the upper half of opaque glass, which shows "Mr. Gibson" in reverse; and near this door is a water filter upon a stand. In the wall upon our left is a plain wooden door. The rear door opens into the factory; the other into a hall that leads to the street.
Upon the walls are several posters, one showing "The Gibson Upright"--a happy family, including children and a grandparent, exclaiming with joy at sight of this instrument. Another shows a concert singer singing widely beside "The Gibson Upright," with an accompanist seated. Another shows a semi-colossal millionaire, and a workingman of similar size in paper cap and apron, shaking hands across "The Gibson Upright," and, printed: "8.00--The Price for the Millionaire, the Same for Plain John Smith--8.00." This poster and the others all show the slogan: "How Cheap, BUT How Good!"
Nothing is new in this room, but everything is clean and accurately in order. The arrangement is symmetrical.
NORA: Good morning, Mr. Mifflin.
MIFFLIN : Good morning, Miss Gorodna.
MIFFLIN: I believe I'm here just to the hour, Miss Gorodna.
NORA : He'll be right here.
GIBSON: That's my last word on it; that's in accordance with the agreement you signed two weeks ago.
A HARSH VOICE: We don't care nothin' about no agreement!
GIBSON: That's all!
NORA: This is Mr. Mifflin, Mr. Gibson.
GIBSON: How do you do, Mr. Mifflin.
MIFFLIN : I am very glad to meet you, Mr. Gibson! I hope you don't mind my not writing to you myself for this interview.
GIBSON: Not at all!
MIFFLIN : I heard Miss Gorodna speak at a meeting two nights ago--
GIBSON: Yes?
MIFFLIN: And learning that she was one of your employees I asked her to speak to you about it for me.
GIBSON: I see.
MIFFLIN: Now, in the first place, Mr. Gibson--
GIBSON: Excuse me a moment!
: Hello!... Yes--Gibson.... Oh, hello, McCombs!... Yes. I want you to buy it.... I want you to buy all of that grade wire you can lay your hands on. Get it now and go quick. All you can get; I don't care if it's a three years' supply. There'll be a shortage within a month.... No; I don't want any more of the celluloid mixture.... No, I don't want it. They can't make a figure good enough. I've got my own formula for keys and we're going to make our own mixture.... I'm going to have my own plant for it right here. I can make it just under fifty per cent, better than I can buy it.... Wait a minute! I want you to get hold of that lot of felt over in Newark; the syndicate's after it, but I want you to beat them to it. Don't go to Johnson. You go to Hendricks--he's Johnson's brother-in-law. You tell him as my purchasing agent you've come to finish the talk I had with him the other night. You'll find that does it.... All right. Wait! Call me up to-morrow afternoon; I'm on the track of a stock of that brass we've been using. We may get three-eighths of a cent off on it. I'll know by that time. All right!... All right! Where do you propose to publish this interview, Mr. Mifflin?
MIFFLIN : Oh, I shall select one of the popular magazines in sympathy with my point of view in these matters. You probably know my articles. Numbers of them have been translated. One called "Co?peration and Brotherhood" has been printed in thirteen languages and dialects, including the Scandinavian. But I expect this to be my star article.
GIBSON: Why?
GIBSON : Yes, model because it has the most labour trouble!
MIFFLIN : That is the real reason why it will be my star article. As you may know from my other articles this problem is where I am in my element.
GIBSON: Yes; I understood so from Miss Gorodna.
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